Philippine Ethnic Musical

Instruments
 Aerophone
• is any musical instrument which produces
sound primarily by
– causing a body of air to vibrate
– without the use of strings or membranes
– and without the vibration of the instrument itself
adding considerably to the sound.
 Kalleleng

Nose flutes

The end of the tubes with the blowing hole burnt in the node.
On the right: the Tongali from the Kalingga
Ethnic group: Bontoc
Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)
Classification: Aerophone, vertical flute, nose flute
The kalleleng is held against
the nostril;
the other nostril is plugged
Lantuy

Ethnic group: Hanunoo

Location: Mindoro
Classification
Aerophone, horizontal flute

Description
Bamboo tube, closed at
one end by a node (on
the right on the picture).
Dimensions; length:
31,5 cm., diameter: 1,5
cm.
Palandag
Ethnic group: Bagobo
Location: SE Mindanao
Classification
Aerophone, lip valley flute (notch flute)
 Local name : unknown
Group: Bontoc
Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)
Classification: Aerophone, vertical flute

Description
Short bamboo tube, cut off on the node and closed with
a piece of wood, lower part of the hole half covered,
with a burnt in hole.
Dimensions: length: 14,7 cm., dimater: 1,6 cm.
Paldong
Ethnic group: Kalingga Front view
Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)
Classification
Aerophone, lip valley flute (notch
flute)

The mouthpiece, the one on the left is

the Paldong
Pulalu
Ethnic group: Mansaka
Location: SE Mindanao
Classification
Lip valley flute (notch
flute), aerophone

Description
Open bamboo pipe,
top end cut at an
angle (see pictures).
Two by two
fingerholes.

Dimensions: length:
48,7 cm, diameter
1,4 cm

The mouthpiece, the one on the right is

the Pulalu
 Tongali
Ethnic group: Kalingga
Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)
Classification
Aerophone, vertital flute. nose flute

The end of the tubes with the blowing hole burnt in the
node. In the middle and on the left are Kalleleng from the
Bontoc.

It is held against the nostril; the

other nostril is plugged
Sahunay
Ethnic group: Taosug
Location: Sulu archipelago
(muslim south)
Classification
Pipe with reed (clarinet):
aerophone
The piece of bamboo with the
cut out reed was lost during
storage

in the depots of the museum.

The reed's blade is on the lower
side.
 Chordophone
• A chordophone is any musical instrument
• which makes sound by way of a vibrating
string
• or strings stretched between two points
 Kudlung
Ethnic group: Bagobo
Location: SE Mindanao
Classification
Chordophone, two stringed
boat lute

The head, adorned with horse hair

 Kudlung
Ethnic group: Bagobo
Location: SE Mindanao
Classification
Chordophone, two stringed
boat lute

The body, carved with geometric patterns, the

glued on frets and the strap

The tail with the two (originally three) piece sof

carabao skin
 side view

Kudlung, top view

Kudlung, the head with the handle for fine

tuning
Kudlung

The tail

The lower part of the body, with the plectre

(akbit) stuck into a hole
Sideview

The head, decorated

with floral
motives, 'okiran'

The tail, decorated with

the 'crocodile' motive
Ethnic group: Marano
Location: West Central Mindanao (muslim
south)
Classification
Chordophone, two stringed boat lute

The bridge, made of wood and

carabao horn
Serongagandi

Top view

Back view

The bridge is placed over a hole

Ethnic group: T'boli Sludoy
Location: South east
Mindanao
Classification
Bamboo cither:
chordophone, idiochord

The sludoy, turned 90 degrees for each picture

A T'boli woman plays the sludoy, the woman in
the background plays a hegelung.
 Description
Kolitong Ethnic group: Kalingga Bamboo tube, closed at both end
Location: North Luzon, Cordillera by a node. In both nodes a star
Classification shaped opening is cut. Five strings
Chordophone, idiochord tube zither are cut loose from the skin, and
lifted and tuned with small pieces
of wood. The tube is cracked and
slightly opened to improve
resonance.
Dimensions: length: 80 cm.
The strings are cut loose diameter: 11,5 cm.
from the skin and lifted
by wooden bridges

The star shaped

opening in the node
 Idiophone
• An idiophone is any musical instrument
• which creates sound primarily
– by way of the instrument's vibrating,
– without the use of strings or membranes
• Most percussion instruments which are not
drums are idiophones.
Group: Bontoc Ethnic group: Bontoc
Classification Location: North Luzon
Idiophone, jaw harp (Cordillera)

The Afiw is held before the opened mouth

 Ethnic group: Hanunoo
Location: Mindoro
Classification: Idiophone, jaw harp

Description
Made of bamboo; the instrument is held horizontally with the bamboo
tongue in front of the opened mouth. The left end is hit by the thumb
of the right hand. This makes the bamboo tongue vibrate which causes
a sound. The mouth serves as a resonator and by changing the shape
and size of the mouth opening, the overtones can be changed, thus
creating a melody. By strongly breathing in or out the volume can be
changed as well. For a picture of the instrument in use: see
the Kubing from the Atta.
Dimensions: length: 14,9 cm., width: 0,8 cm.
 Kubing
Ethnic group: Atta
Location: SE Mindanao
Classification: Idiophone, jaw harp

Description
Made of bamboo; Made of bamboo;
the instrument is held horizontally
with the bamboo tongue in front of
the opened mouth. The left end is hit
by the thumb of the right hand. This
makes the bamboo tongue vibrate
which causes a sound. The mouth
serves as a resonator and by
changing the shape and size of the
mouth opening, the overtones can be
changed, thus creating a melody. By
strongly breathing in or out the
volume can be changed as well. Quintik Ofong plays the kubing (T'boli)
Dimensions: length: 20,8 cm.,
width: 1 cm.
 Kubing
Ethnic group: Maranao
Location: West Central
Mindanao (muslim south)
Description Classification
Made of bamboo; Made of bamboo; the instrument is held Idiophone, jaw harp;
horizontally with the bamboo tongue in front of the
opened mouth. The left end is hit by the thumb of the right
hand. This makes the bamboo tongue vibrate which causes
a sound. The mouth serves as a resonator and by changing
the shape and size of the mouth opening, the overtones
can be changed, thus creating a melody. By strongly
breathing in or out the volume can be changed as well. For
a picture of the instrument in use: see the Kubingfrom the
Atta.
A thin piece of bamboo of appr. 2 cm. length on the left
side, for hitting and causing the tongue to vibrate, is
broken off.
Dimensions: length: 23,6 cm. (or. appr. 26 cm.). , width
(widest): 2,4 cm,
(smallest) 1,2 cm.
 Kumbing

Ethnic group: Manobo

Location: Central Mindanao
Classification: Idiophone, jaw harp
 Balingbing
Group: Kalingga
Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)
Classification
Idiophone, bamboo buzzer
Palipal
Ethnic group: Ifugao
Location: North Luzon Side view
(Cordillera)
Classification
Idiophone, bamboo
clapper

Top view

Description
Bamboo tube, one end open; cut open in the middle; upper part cut into two halves. The
instrument is played by shaking: one half swings up and down and in the down swing hits
the lower half. For playing technique: see Balingbing
Tagutok
Ethnic group: Maranaw
Location: Central-west
Mindanao (muslim south)

Classification
Idiophone

Description
Decorated bamboo
scraper, length: 46
cm., diameter: 9 cm.
Bangibang
Group: Ifugao
Location: North Luzon (Cordillera)
Classification
Idiophone, percussion bar

Description
Set of at least seven wooden bars made of hard wood. Each bar has its own pitch
and is hit by the player with a short stick of hard wood. Players have one stick
each and play their own rythmic pattern, which fall together ('interlocking').
See also: Balingbing.
Dimensions: length: 47,5 cm., height: 5 cm., diameter: 2,6 cm.
 Gabbang
Ethnic group: Taosug
Location: Jolo (muslim south)
Classification
Idiophone, xylophone
Front view
Description
Xylophone with 17 keys made of
Top view bamboo, separated by metal
nails. The resonating case is
dcorated with floral motives. At
the sides are two mirrors.
The beaters are made of wood
with a piece of tube rubber
Dimensions: length: 102 cm.,
width: 51 cm. height: 37 cm.

The two beaters

 The Gabbang can be played as a solo instrument.
Sometimes a duo is formed with a 'biula', a local
violin.

The resonating case, decorated with floral motives

A Taosug woman plays the gabbang.
 Kulintang (small)

Ethnic group: Maranao

Front view Location: Central-west
Mindanao (muslim south)
Classification
Idiophone, metal xylophone

Top view

The left side of the

instrument with the
largest iron plate
Kulintang ensemble
Ethnic group: Maranao
Location: Central-west
Mindanao (muslim south)

Classification
Idiophones: gong chime
and large gong
Membranophones:
conical drum and
cylindrical drum

Local names
Set of eight
gongs: Kulintang
Large gong: Agung
Cylindrical drum: Gandang
Conical drum: Dadabuan

The complete ensemble

Description Kulintang ensemble
Set of eight gongs made of bronze, on a wooden
stand in the shape of a Sarimanok(mythical bird,
divine messenger). Accompanied by one larger
gong (here made of iron, but usually also made
of bronze) and two drums. The eight small gongs
differ in pitch but the height of the tone is not
fixed and can differ per set. The number of large
gongs can vary from one to several gongs of
different pitch and size. The small gongs are
struck with two sticks of appr. 30 cm. length and
made of a soft kind of wood, probably of the
papaya tree. The large gong is struck with a
special beater. The conical drum is struck with a
thin piece of bamboo of appr. 40 c.m. length. The
cylindrical drum is struck with either the hands
or two short wooden sticks. The head representing the
To indicate the dimensions of the whole set, the mythical bird Sarimanok
length of the Sarimanok-shaped stand is 2,60
mtr, from head to tail. For other dimensions, see
the pages of the other instruments of the
ensemble (see above).
Two gongs on the stand

Kulintang ensemble
Group: Maranao Description
Classification Gong with boss, made of iron. The gong is
Idiophone, bossed gong part of the Kulintang ensemble
Location: West Central Dimensions: diameter: 45 cm. depth: 21 cm.
Mindanao (muslim south)

Front view Side view

Tanggunggu
Ethnic groups:
Kalagan, B'laan, Manuvu,
Bagobo, a.o.
Location: South east
Mindanao
Classification
Gong chime: idiophones
Tanggunggu
The large Tanggunggu, (Kaloagan,
Mount Tandawanan, SE Mindanao)
Tongkaling
Ethnic group: B'laan
Location: SE Mindanao
Classification
Idiophones, pellet bells or
crotal bells

Local names
Tongkaling: larger brass pellet bells Tongkaling, bronze bells, on a dance girdle
Gurung-gurung: smaller brass pellet bells
A Tongkaling with a particular design
Description
Brass bells, used as an amulet or as a musical
instrument. In the picture fourteen brass bells is
fixed to a metal girdle. Nine of these bells have a
particular design (a tiger's face). The girdle is used
during a particular dance. For an extensive
explanation of this particular type of bells and its
use, see the pages on tiger bells.
 Membranophone
• A membranophone is any musical instrument
• which produces sound primarily
• by way of a vibrating stretched membrane.
• Most membranophones are drums
Dadabuan

Ethnic group: Maranao

Location: West central Mindanao (muslim south)

Classification
Membranophone, hour glass shaped drum

Description
Hour glass shaped drum made
of wood; the membrane is
made of carabao skin.
Decorated with carvings and
painted. The drum is part of
the Kulintang ensemble.
Dimensions: height: 59 cm.
diameter (membrane): 19 cm.
 Prepared by: JC de Egurrola
Source: Kipas Gallery:
Home of traditional art and music
Url: http://www.kipas.nl/